They All Fall Down
by secretlovechild
Summary: A HermioneDraco songfic to the song They All Fall Down. Hermione's thoughts on how her relationship with Draco started, complete with visits to the Astronomy Tower, a Death Eater plot, a letter to Draco and a hungry Ron.


A/N: A cute little Hermione/Draco song fic to They All Fall Down by SR-71.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters/settings, I also do not own the song They All Fall Down.

**I can be as humble as the next guy  
Or I can blink and make you crumble from the inside  
I could be every nasty thing, you ever thought a man could be**

I've hated him for years. Haven't I? Everything he's done, all the insults, all the poison that's come from his lips. But somehow it doesn't seem matter anymore. Don't get me wrong; I haven't forgotten everything he's done to me, to Ron, to Harry. I will never forget. He was the first person who ever called me a Mudblood. I can still hear his voice ringing in my ears

'No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood.'

That's what I was to him, filth. A Mudblood. No matter that I was twice the witch he could ever be, I worked twice as hard and I knew twice I much. But it didn't matter because I was filth to him.

I can remember in our second year how we thought he was the heir of Slytherin. How naïve we were. He was our enemy therefore he must be evil. It doesn't seem that way anymore. He doesn't seem so evil, so despicable. He seems lost. I almost pity him. But he doesn't want my pity. He made that one thing perfectly clear.

It was only October; our sixth year had barely started when I looked up from my copy of _The Advanced Transfigurer_ just in time to see Malfoy opening a letter. I'd like to say I'd noticed something off about him since we'd come back, but I hadn't. I'd been to consumed by the thrill of being back at Hogwarts to notice how distant he seemed. There was something on his mind, but I hadn't seen it. I watched his face turn pale. He stood, not caring that he knocked his pumpkin juice into Pansy Parkinson's lap. He didn't seem to hear her angry cry as he left the Great Hall.

_**Cause they all fall down  
Cause they all fall down**_

I could tell you I got up to follow him because I was worried about him, and that might be partly true. But the thing that drove me out of my seat to find Draco Malfoy was curiosity. I had seen the look in his eyes when he'd read the letter, what could possibly make him so upset?

I uttered a quick excuse to Ron, who was too occupied with his eggs to notice me and exited the hall. I made my way towards the dungeons, but I didn't go far until I found Malfoy pacing a seemingly empty corridor.

"Malfoy?"

His head jerked up at the sound of my voice and for a moment I saw the look of fear in his eyes. What was in that letter?

"Granger," his annoying drawl was prominent.

"Are you alright?" I was tentative about asking him this, but the words spilled from my mouth before I could stop them.

He fixed me with a glare, "Why wouldn't I be alright?"

"You seemed upset when you left the hall."

Would he tell me what was in his letter? Could I perhaps trick him into giving me a clue?

"The poor misunderstood Slytherin looked upset and the magnanimous Gryffindor felt the need to comfort him? Is that the story? I don't need your pity Granger," he spat my name out like it was dirt in his mouth. I'd made him angry. Good going Hermione.

"Look Malfoy, I saw you reading that letter. Something in it obviously upset you. Do you want to talk about it?" I was grasping at straws; the idea of Draco Malfoy confiding in me was laughable.

"Keep your nose out of my business, _Mudblood_. You're wasting my time," he stalked off in the direction of the dungeons.

I was seething. The nerve, I came out here to offer him comfort and he insulted me! Well, see if I care Malfoy! You're blood may be pure but you're not worth my time! I turned on my heel and stormed back to the Great Hall.

_**I can make you see the beauty of a new sun  
or I can be the source of your desperation  
I could be every nasty thing, you ever dreamt a man could be**_

Later that night I was sitting alone in the library putting the final touches on my Potions essay, never mind that it wasn't due until the following week. I didn't hear anyone approaching my table until hot breath tickled my ear.

"Meet me in the Astronomy Tower, 10 minutes."

I turned just to see Malfoy leaving the library. Meet him in the Astronomy Tower? I couldn't very well go to the Astronomy Tower with him! That was where couples went to... well; let's just say they weren't star gazing. Of course, if we did go, we'd be relatively alone since the Tower was rarely used until _after_ hours. What if he was going to tell me what was in that letter? I couldn't very well pass up the chance to find out what had upset him! I quickly gathered my things and hurried from the library, it would take a good 10 minutes just to get to the Tower, not to mention the time I'd wasted deciding whether or not to go!

By the time I reached the Astronomy Tower I was a good 10 minutes later then Malfoy had specified, but it was his own fault not giving me enough warning to get their punctually. He was standing opposite the door, his back facing me. I followed his gaze and let out a gasp, the sunset was one of the most beautiful I'd seen.

"The Astronomy Tower always has the best views of the sunset," his voice was quiet, lacking its usual drawl.

I moved to stand beside him, "Do you come here often?"

"Almost everyday."

I was a little surprised. Draco Malfoy didn't seem the type to have made a daily ritual of watching the sunset, no matter how beautiful. I voiced my thoughts to him.

He smirked, "Malfoy's appreciate beautiful things."

He moved behind me, I stiffened as he pushed back my curtain of hair. He laughed a little, I'm not too sure what he thought was funny; I was too preoccupied with the way his breath played on my exposed skin. I nearly squeaked when I felt his lips touch my neck. I should have pulled away, slapped him and told him never to touch me again. I didn't. I was lost in the sensation of having his lips caress me.

"Do you like that Granger?"

"Y-yes."

I could almost feel him smirking. That annoyed me out of my reverie. I spun around to face him but found myself caught in his arms, so close our noses were touching. For a moment we just stood there, neither one of us moving, until his lips found mine. I fell deeper into sensation and feeling. I'd been kissed before, but nothing, nothing could have prepared me for this. Malfoy was the first to break the kiss. He pulled back, observing me. I knew I must have been flushed; I was probably blushing as well. He smirked, maybe at my appearance, maybe at what we'd done.

_**Jaded, dated, I'm the type you hated  
Haunted, taunted, I'm what you've always wanted  
I'm what you've always wanted**_

"I knew you wanted me, Granger."

His infuriating drawl was back, and I wanted nothing more then to wipe that smug look from his face. Had he only kissed me to prove he could? I was enraged.

"You are the most vile, despicable –"

"I know, I know. I'm an evil little Slytherin. But you wanted me. Admit it, you wanted me."

He'd interrupted me! Not only was he a waste of flesh, he was rude as well!

"Fine Malfoy, think what you will, maybe I did want you. But you wanted me just as badly."

With those final words I pushed past him and fumed all the way to the Gryffindor common room.

_**You can turn away like you don't even see me  
You can smile like you got something I need**_

When I was back in the common room, attempting to work on my History of Magic essay, it still felt like I was back in the Astronomy Tower, every moment I was reliving the kiss, I was reliving every second I spent with Malfoy. It was laughable really. I had kissed him, one of the most intimate things you could experience with another person, and I still referred to him by his surname. This time my curiosity really had gotten the better of me. If I hadn't wanted to know what was in Malfoy's letter, none of this would have happened. I hadn't even found out what was in his letter, I hadn't even _asked_! Was he playing games with me? Was this some sick, twisted for of torture? Was it because I was Muggle-born? I wouldn't put it past Malfoy to use my lust for him against me. Because that's what it had to be. Lust. I couldn't possibly feel anything more towards someone like Malfoy. It was simply not possible.

"Hermione!"

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Ron's impatient call.

"You don't need to yell Ron. I'm right here."

He rolled his eyes at Harry who grinned. "That's the fifth time I've called you, Hermione. We thought you might have gone deaf."

I blushed. They'd caught me thinking about Malfoy. Thankfully they didn't know that I'd been thinking about him... if they'd known... well, it didn't matter. They'd never know what had happened. They didn't need to know.

_**  
But every night you go home alone  
and dream about being underneath me**_

That night I lay staring into the shadows. I couldn't stop thinking about Malfoy. It was practically an obsession, and it couldn't be healthy for my thoughts to stray to him so often. Pavarti and Lavender had fallen asleep hours ago, but I couldn't sleep not when my mind keep remembering every moment I spent in the Astronomy Tower with Draco Malfoy. They way his nose had touched mine. The way his lips felt on my neck. The way his lips felt on mine, he way it felt to be in his arms. Every detail was burnt into my memory. After reliving every moment, I fell asleep, thinking about the way Draco's breath had felt on my neck.

_Draco's lips were on mine, in a kiss that made the kiss in the Astronomy Tower seem like a quick peck on the cheek. The thumb of one of his hands was tracing circles on the small of my back while the other hand buried itself in my hair..._

I awoke to the sound of Pavarti asking Lavender to help her with her hair. I didn't hear them however, I was breathing heavily, remembering my less then appropriate dream about Draco Malfoy. I was _dreaming_ about Malfoy. Not only were my conscious thoughts obsessing over him. My subconscious thoughts were as well!

_**Cause they all fall down  
Cause they all fall down**_

I watched Malfoy at breakfast that morning in what I thought was a very discrete manor, but obviously it wasn't that discrete because when Ron was about halfway through his third plate of sausages, Malfoy's eye caught my own. Neither one of us looked away for quiet awhile, we might have stayed like that all morning, but thankfully Harry stole my gaze when he asked if he could have a look at my Transfiguration notes. On my way out of the Great Hall Draco brushed past me, pressing a neatly folded piece of paper into my hand. I stared at the paper in my hands for a moment, I was too afraid to open it in the corridor where anyone might see; I waited until I was safely in History of Magic. Ron was asleep and Harry was too far-gone in playing hangman by himself to notice anything I was doing, so I quickly opened the note.

_You were right, I want you. Meet me at the Astronomy Tower, same time._

_D.M._

Draco Malfoy wanted me. Was this some kind of game? It had to be. I certainly wasn't going to be humiliated by that vile creature. I was not going to go to the Astronomy Tower at anytime, no matter what he said.

_**Jaded, dated, I'm the type you hated  
Haunted, taunted, I'm what you've always wanted  
I'm what you've always wanted**_

I found myself sitting in the library alone again that evening. Looking at the clock I noted that if I had been going to the Astronomy Tower to meet Malfoy I would have been officially late. Of course, that didn't matter since I wasn't going. Taking another glance at the clock I wondered if Malfoy would come looking for me if I didn't show up. Would he check the library? What if he asked Ron or Harry where I was? What if he gave me away to them? I most definitely had to go to the Astronomy Tower, just to make sure that Malfoy didn't tell Ron or Harry anything. I gathered up my things and quickly left the library. It never occurred to me that Ron and Harry were in the Gryffindor Tower, a place where Malfoy couldn't ask them anything.

I entered the Astronomy Tower even later then I had arrived the previous day. Malfoy wasn't standing where he had been the day before, he was pacing. He stopped when I came in and moved to stand directly in front of me.

"If you're going to be late you might as well not come at all." His voice was cold and sharp.

Why had I bothered coming? I couldn't remember now. "Fine. I'll leave."

I had turned and was ready to leave when I felt Malfoy's hand on my elbow.

"Please. Don't go." He sounded almost vulnerable. Almost sincere.

I turned to face him, "Why shouldn't I?"

_**Can't you see through this disguise?  
Find the little boy inside  
I'm afraid of falling**_

"I want... I want to talk to you."

I stayed where I was; I had to be sure this wasn't a trick. "Talk then. I'm listening."

He turned away from me, walking over, watching the beautiful sunset, "The letter... the one you saw me open yesterday. I can't go home for Christmas."

I was a little taken aback. That was what had upset him? He couldn't go home? I was about to tell him off for being to self absorbed, at least he had somewhere to go home to.

"Two summers ago, after the Dark Lord first came back, my father told me... he told me there might... there might be an attack on the Hogwarts Express, this year. He said it would be this year. He didn't say when specifically, but it's this year! He said he'd make sure I wasn't on the train. My mother promised we'd be together for Christmas. She's wanted me home for every holiday as long as I can remember. Why else would she keep me off? She must know there's going to be an attack. Why else! I've tried to figure out another explanation. There isn't one."

I was taken aback, there was going to be an attack on the Hogwarts Express? "You might be wrong though, there might be another reason... there could be any number of reasons..."

"Don't you think I've thought of that? I doubt my mother wants to spend Christmas alone with the House Elves! She didn't say she was going on holiday, or that she had other guests, she said that I couldn't come home! There is not other possible reason."

"Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't you be happy there's going to be an attack?"

He moved towards me, "They're going to kill people I know. It's never felt this real before. The Dark Lord was just someone purifying the world. Now he's killing people I go to school with, people I know," his gaze held mine, "People I care about."

I had to voice my question, no matter what his answer "Do you care about me?"

He pulled me into his arms, "More than I should."

_**Jaded, dated, I'm the type you hated  
Haunted, taunted, i'm what you've always wanted  
I'm what you've always wanted...**_


End file.
